Electrical pole and pole-base.



E. 0. LUNDIN.

ELECUTRICAL POLE AND POLE BASE4 APPLICATION FILED APR. IU. i915.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Fig Z InvenTor. Emi? O. Lundin by ATTys EMIL O. LUNDIN, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL POLE AND POLE-BASE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4;, 1916.

Application filed April 10, 1915. Serial No.A 20,530.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL O. LUNDIN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cambridge, county of'Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Electrical Poles and Pole-Bases, of which the followingv description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like charactersV on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in posts particularly of the character adapted to support electric lights such as are used in streets and also to support electric conductors carrying high tension currents. In order to provide for certain insulation and to avoid leakage of the current poles of this character are usually and almost invariably made principally of wood such as hard pine or the like and are provided with a metallic head having a suitable extension or sup* port for the lamp or the insulator for cables or the like. The wooden poles are ordinarily seated in the ground and rapidly deteriorate near the surface so that in a short time the pole becomes unsafe and frequently breaks off, thus endangering the lives of people passing both from the falling pole and from the exposed electric conductors. In large cities the city ordinances usually require that each light of a system must be maintained continuously lighted every night in the year and any replacement of a pole of this character must be accomplished within a period of a very few hours.

The present invention has for its principal object the production of a base for a wooden pole which will not be subject to deterioration at -or-beneath the surface of the ground and which will permit the utilization of an old and defective or broken pole without any material delay in replacement so that if an accident occurs to a pole bearing an electric light the pole may be reerected and the light thereon established within av very short period of time. In order to accomplish this purpose I have pro-v vided a base preferably of concrete material to which may be attached a cast iron support or socket for the bottom of the pole, the socket being so formed that the lower end of the pole when dropped therein will be self centering and the upper portion of the pole may be made vertical or plumb by simple expedients such as wedges which do'not require any material time for insertion.

Another feature of the present invention resides in providing a pole of the character above described with a special means for effecting a speedy connection between the cables leading to the pole and the lines leading from the light to the base of the pole and also in providing means whereby the connection when made may be thoroughly insulated and rendered proof against water or moisture from the atmosphere so that there can be no leakage of the current through the connections thus made.

Another feature of the invention resides in providing the pole with a special form of switch by which the trimmer in readjusting the light may turn the current off and thereafter remove the covering plate and indicator of the switch for the purpose of examining the connections within and subsequently replacing the same without the possibility of misplacing the indicator in respect to the switch members.

Other objects of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a pole and support embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base, Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 4 is a detail section of the switch cover plate and the means by which it is attached to the pole head, and, Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the pot head showing the connection between the conductors of the electric cable and the conductors leading through the pole.

In the accompanying drawings the pole or shaft l which is of wood preferably hard pine is provided with` a longitudinal aperture 2 and has at its apex a top comprising a spider 3 having laterally extending arms 4: which may be reinforced in the usual manner by inverted T-irons 5 and has an upwardly extending integral cylindrical portion 6 provided With. a Screw Connection 7 to receive the threaded end of a tubular member S leading to the electric light 9. It may be of any suitable character the pipe 8 being ordinarily curved downwardly so that l the lamp hangs vertically from the end of the tube 8. The post thus described may be of the usual construction used in city lighting. The bottom of the wooden posts are however ordinarily embedded deeply in the ground and the conductors which extend from the lower end of the aperture connected outside of the post to the trunk cables of the lighting system.

As before stated the pole readily deteriorrates at and slightly beneath the surface of the ground so that in a relatively short time the pole becomes weakened and breaks under unusual conditions of wind or if struck by moving vehicles etc. In order to obviate this difficulty and also to provide for the utilization of shorter poles and of old poles which have become worn I have provided a special means for supporting the pole comprising a cast iron base or receptacle 10 preferably substantially rectangular in form or provided with beveled corners which in turn is supported upon a concrete or cement base 11, the cast iron base or receptacle being above the surface of the ground while the cement or concrete support base is embedded in the ground to a sufficient depth to support the Ipole firmly in erect position. While in the original installation of poles of this character the concrete base may be made in the ground and the base or receptacle for the post therefor attached thereto, this cannot be accomplished when the necessity arises to replace the poles upon short notice as in case of breakage during the use of the lighting system and in order to provide a uniform means for the erection of poles whether originally or for replacement I have found it expedient to mold the concrete or cement base of the poles independently so that they may be inserted quickly in the ground.

The preferred supporting base for the pole which is illust-rated herein may be constructed and reinforced in the following manner: A plurality of longitudinal bolts 12 preferably four in number are held suitably spaced apart by heads, wires or connecting rods of any character and are bound by transverse rods or wires, preferably by a spiral wire 13 of suicient lengt-h to provide successive coils throughout the length of the base. The skeleton thus formed is then placed within a suitable mold. A tubular conductor or pipe 141 leading preferably from the central portion of the top of the mold downwardly substantially half its distance or such distance as may be desired and bent laterally to extend beyond the side wall of the base is supported in any suitable manner from the skeleton structure above described and the whole inclosed within a suitable mold. Cement or concrete is then poured within the mold to lill the same and permitted to harden in the usual manner. Then the concrete has hardened the mold is then removed, leaving a pole supporting base consisting of anintegral reinforced concrete structure having a metallic conduit for the cables extending from the central portion of the top thereof downwardly through a portion of the post and thence laterally to receive the electric cable 16. The threaded ends of the bolts 12 extend a snfii cient distance above the top of the support to provide a means of attachment to the receptacle 10 for the post.

The receptacle 10 preferably is generally rectangular in form having beveled corners upon its exterior' and slightly tapering from the top toward the bottom. At the bottom an inwardly extending flange 18 provided with bolt holes to receive the ends of the bolts 12 provides means whereby the post receptacle may be securely fastened upon the supporting base 15 by suitable nuts 19 which may be screwed home by a wrench having a stem or standard of sutlicient length to extend through and above the top of the receptacle 10. The inner walls ofthe receptacle are provided preferably at about the longitudinal center of the receptacle with inwardly inclined ribs 20 which are adapted to engage the bottom of the wooden pole as it is dropped into the receptacle and center the same. The base of the poles which is usually rectangular in form will engage these beveled flanges and the weight of the pole will cause the same to be wedged substantially centrally of the support.

The upper inner faces of the walls of the receptacle are made slightly divergent to form seats 21 for wedges 22 which may be driven in between the poles and the walls in order that the pole may be linally arranged in an exactly vertical position or made plumb. IVhatever space remains between the sides of the wooden pole and the inner walls of the upper end of the receptacle may thereupon be filled with waterproof cement 23 or other suitable filling to more firmly fix the pole within its socket and to prevent the entrance of water or moisture between the pole and its support.

The lower end of the pole as above stated extends only substantially half way to the bottom of the post receptacle leaving a suitable space which I have utilized for the purpose of inclosing a pot head of special character adapted to surround, insulate and waterproof the connection between the cables leading from the trunk line to the conductors leading to the electric light. One of the sides of the receptacle 10 may be provided with an aperture Qt to afford access to the space beneath the base of the hole a suitable door 24x being hinged to the wall of the receptacle to close the opening. I have also provided a special means for connecting the cables and the conductors aforesaid. This connecting means comprises substantially U-shaped members 25 having transverse apertures 26-27 adapted to receive respectively the ends 28 of the conductor cables 16 and the ends 29 of the conductors 30 leading to the light. The respective conductors may be secured in the U-shaped connector by suitable set scr-ews 31 so that suitable connections may be promptlyT made.

In order to provide insulating means for the ends of the cable and the connectors for the same I have provided a pot-head of a special construction which preferably is a receptacle rectangular in form at its upper portion and curved inwardly at the bottom to form a substantially annular base. This receptacle may be made of any suitable nonconducting material preferably of porcelain or other non-conducting molded plastic material. A bottom for the receptacle may be constructed of a disk of any suitable rigid non-conducting material such as wood or other fibrous material which will serve as a spacing washer 32 for the ends 28 of the cable conductors 16. A flexible washer of like character of felt or similar material 33 which may be slightly larger in diameter may be supported upon the rigid washer aforesaid in such a manner as to form a closure for the bottom of the pot head when the same is positioned within the post receptacle. The pot head may be supported either by the ends of the cable, resting upon the washers aforesaid or may be supported by vsuitable ears 34 by which it may be bolted to lugs 35 extending inwardly from the inner walls of the post receptacle.

In making the connection between the cable conductors and the conductors leading to the light the pot head may be raised above the stripped ends of the cable into the position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the connection made by the connectors in the manner aforesaid and the pot head then lowered until it rests upon the supporting disks 32-33 The pot head may then be filled with a non-hygroscopic insulating material such as waterproof cement, or asphaltum, fully inclosing the connections aforesaid and thereby preventing any leakage of the electric current.

I have also provided the improved pole with a switch having a cover' plate permitting the saine to be easily reached for examination and repair by the pole trimmer. This device is illustrated as applied to the head of the pole above the cross arms 3. A switch of any suitable type may be interposed in the conductors leading to the electric light so arranged that the current through the light may be turned on or off. This switch may be manipulated by a handle or wrenchy 40 provided with an irregular socket 41 of the character illustrated herein adapted to lit upon a stem supporting the movable members of the switch (not shown). The stem of the handle may be turned down to provide a seat 42 for a dial 43 which is adapted to rest upon the cover plate 44. The stem desir-ably is provided upon the opposite side of the cover plate with a groove 45 adapted to receive a ring 46 to secure the stem in the cover plate and permit its free rotation.

The cover plate 44 may be provided with strengthening ribs 47, 48, the ribs 48 being extended and bifurcated to form slotted sockets 49 to receive bolts 50 pivoted to the head and having thumb nuts 51 by means of which the cover plate may be clamped against the head. Then the trimmer desires to repair or clean the lamp it is merely necessary for him to turn the handle 40 to cut off the current from the light and when he has linished repairing the same to rotate the handle in the opposite direction to turn the current on. If he desires to inspect the switch or to repair the same he may turn back the thumb nuts 51, rotate the bolts upon their pivots and remove the entire plate. After the repairs or inspection have been finished the same may be replaced. By reason of the fact that the socket 41 in the knob 40 is ve sided and of the irregular character illustrated it will be impossible for the trimmer to improperly replace the switch handle upon the switch.

wWhile I have described the invention herein as applied to poles adapted for electric street lighting it is to be understood that the invention may be adapted for various other uses such for example as the supporting of telegraph poles or other poles adapted to conduct high tension currents of electricity or in fact any pole which heretofore has been supported upon or embedded within the ground. It is further to be understood that the specific mechanisms herein described are illustrative merely and not restrictive and that the claims herein are intended broadly to cover all equivalent mechanisms within their spirit and scope.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a pole, a supporting base comprising a hollow metallic receptacle. the walls of the receptacle being provided with inwardly inclined members adapted to engage and center the base of the pole, said walls being` beveled at their upper ends to receive wedges for plumbing the pole, and to provide a channel adapted to receive a waterproof sealing medium,

Li. In combination with a pole, a support comprising a receptacle adapted to receive and automatically to center the pole, and having inwardly extending flanges at its base, a base formed of concrete having a plurality of longitudinally extending reinforcing bolts embedded therein and projecting above the upper surface thereof and through the base flanges of the receptacle and nuts for said bolts adapted to secure the receptacle firmly to said base.

3. In combination with a pole, a support comprising a receptacle adapted to receive and automatically to center the pole, and having inwardly extending flanges at its base, a base formed of concrete having embedded metallic transverse reinforcing members and longitudinal reinforcing members including a plurality of bolts projecting above the upper surface of said base and adapted to be secured to the base fiange of said receptacle.

4. In combination with a pole, a support comprising a metallic receptacle adapted to receive the base of the pole, a base composed of reinforced hardened plastic material and having a cable receiving conduit leading from the top downwardly and laterally to the side of said base, and means for detachably securing said base to said receptacle.

In. combination with a pole inclosing electric conductors, a support comprising a metallic receptacle having means to engage and retain the base of the pole and to provide a chamber therebeneath, a door in the wall of said receptacle permitting access to said chamber. means for introducing the end of an electric cable into said receptacle and means within said chamber connecting the cable with the pole conductors.

G. In combination with a pole inclosing electric conductors, a support comprising a receptacle having means to engage and retain the base of the pole and to provide a chamber therebeneath, a door in the wall of the receptacle permitting access to said chamber, a base of reinforced concrete to which said receptacle is detachably secured, said base having an electric cable conduit leading from the side of said base to the top thereof, means within said chamber connecting the ends of the conductors of the cable with the conductors of the pole.

7. In combination with a pole inclosing electric conductors, a support comprising a receptacle having means to engage and retain the base of the pole and to provide a chamber therebeneath, a door in the wall of said receptacle permitting access to said chamber, means for introducing the'end of an electric cable into said receptacle, means within said chamber connecting the ends of the conductor of the cable with the conductors of the pole consisting of U-shaped members having oppositely disposed apertures t0 receive the ends of complementary conductors and means to secure said conductors in said apertures.

8. In combination with a pole inclosing electric conductors, a support comprising a receptacle having means to engage and retain the base of the pole and to provide a chamber therebeneath, a door in the Wall of said receptacle permitting access to said chamber, means for introducing the end of an electric cable into said receptacle, means within said chamber connecting the ends of the conductor of the cable with the conductors of the pole, a pot head surrounding the exposed ends of said conductors and the connectors filled with a hardened plastic insulating material, and means for supporting said pot head.

9. In combination with a pole inclosing electric conductors, a support comprising a receptacle having means to engage and retain the base of the pole and to provide a chamber therebeneath, a door in the wall of said receptacle permitting access to said chamber, means for introducing the end of an electric cable into said receptacle, means within said chamber connecting the ends of the conductor of the cable with the conductors of the pole, a pot head having a detachable bottom composed of a cable spacing member of rigid material and a acking member of flexible material, said) pot head being filled with a hardened plastic non-hygroscopic insulating material and means for securing said pot head to the inner wall of said receptacle.

10. In combination with a pole of nonconducting material having a head adapted to support an electrically operated mechanism and inclosing electric conductors leading thereto, a support comprising a receptacle adapted to receive and retain the base of the pole, and to provide a chamber therebeneath. means for introducing the ends of an electric cable within said receptacle, connectors for the cable conductors and the pole conductors within said chamber and means of insulating said connection, a switch carried by said head having operating mechanism including an unsymmetrical stem, a cover plate for said switch having a handle rotatably secured therein and adapted to fit and detachably to engage said stem, and means for removing said cover plate.

11. In combination with a pole of nonconducting material having a head adapt-ed to support an electrically operated mechanism and inclosing electric conductors leading thereto, a support comprising a receptacle adapted to receive and retain the base of the pole, and to provide a chamber therebeneath, means for introducing the ends of an electric cable into said receptacle, connectors for the cable conductors and the pole conductors Within said Chamber and means for insulating said connection, a ally mounted in vsaid head adapted to be switch carried by said head having operatrotated into and out of said slots and ing mechanism including an unsymmetrioal Winged nuts on said bolts to clamp the l0 stem, a cover plate having bifuroated ears, cover plate.

a handle rotatably mounted in said cover In testimony whereof, I have signed my plate and having a socket adapted to fit and name to this specification. detachably engage said stem, bolts pivot- EMIL O. LUNDIN.

Copies ofthil patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

